1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to power generation, and more particularly, to methods and devices for generating energy from photovoltaics and temperature differentials.
2. Prior Art
Generators are well known in the art for generating electricity, particularly those known for use in back-up situations for residential homes, commercial buildings, and hospitals. Such devices generally have two-stroke engines that operate on gasoline. The output of such engines is used to turn a generator, which produces electricity. The electricity is fed into the structure and/or supplied to an electrical grid. Such two-stroke engines (and in some applications, 4-stroke engines) are used in many other applications, such as lawn mowers and other outdoor equipment, small tractors, jet-skis and other recreational vehicles. Although, these engines have their advantages, they operate on rather expensive gasoline, significantly contribute to air pollution from their emissions, have many moving parts and are therefore complicated, and are inherently inefficient, expensive, and noisy.
Furthermore, power is often required to be transmitted across a rotating joint; such joint can rotate in one, two, or three (spherical) directions. In the prior art, slip rings are used to provide an electrical contact between the moving parts in the rotating joint. Such slip rings are expensive to manufacture and maintain and are prone to failure.